Missing
by all-time-dreamer
Summary: "How could you use that against me? You're supposed to be my best friend!" Nick's missing. Jeff's a mess. Is this what it takes for the boys to realise their feelings for each other? Rated M for some violence in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

This idea kind of popped into my head when I was doing a stir fry. Don't even ask...  
>As for my other stories, I'm really sorry that I don't seem to be updating, but I get writers block and don't know what to write, then a completely different idea for a completely different story just pops into my head! Would you believe it? I'm a scatter brain, lord help me...<br>As for the girl who asked me to write a fanfic about her and Riker Lynch getting together, I'd love to! But at the moment, I'm so busy! With christmas shopping and such, but as soon as I have time, I will. But I need you to give me some sort of twitter, facebook or tumblr so I can talk to you and find out any specific details of what you want.  
>Enjoy the story, once again, I don't own any of the characters in this fic unless I've made them up myself.<p>

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><p>"So we'll give the solo to Blaine, and he will sing a choice of either Hey Soul Sister or another song of his choice. Please- not teenage dream. Again. As for the duet, we can hold auditions. Volunteers?" Wes' voice rang through the Dalton Academy Warblers' choir room. Boys lounged on pristine leather couches, idly playing with loose threads on their uniforms or sat with a glazed look in their eyes, watching as the old grandfather clock showed that the time was 3.45pm.<p>

Many hands shot up as the list for people to audition was pulled out.

"Okay so Cameron, Kurt, Thad, Jeff..." David mumbled, scribbling down onto the piece of paper.

"Speaking of Jeff, where's Nick?" A voice from the back called out. Trent had a questioning look on his face, as the two boys were hardly ever seen without one another.

A dozen pairs of eyes turned to look at Jeff, the looks turning from confusion to worry. Jeff sat staring blankly ahead. His hair was a mess, his uniform crooked and crinkled. The distant look on his usually bright face made the Warblers' stomachs drop and turn. Blaine stood from where he was sat on the opposite side of the room. Quickly, he made his way over to his friend. He didn't need to ask if there was anything wrong. Judging by the look on the blonde boys face, he knew there was.

"Jeff? Buddy, what happened?" He knelt down on the worn carpet of the choir room, looking up at his friend with concern-filled eyes. Straight away he noticed the blonde's eyes filling with tears, one escaping and running down his cheek.

"Jeff..." Blaine murmured, putting his hand on the taller boys shoulder, half for comfort, half to get his attention.

By now the Warblers were deeply concerned. Nick was missing. Jeff was distraught. And no one knew what had happened.

"He's- I can't- he went..." Jeff put his head in his hands, openly sobbing at this point.

* * *

><p><em>24 hours earlier.<em>

_"Jeff, you don't get it. I like Alex. He's nice and he cares and he wants to take me on a date! Why aren't you happy for me?" Nick screamed, crossing his arms in front of his chest._

_"He's just... Not right for you! I don't like the guy, I get a bad feeling about him", Jeff sat on his bed in his and Nick's shared dorm room._

_"You get a bad feeling? Clearly you're an awful judge of character. Have you ever actually spoken to Alex? Have a conversation with him! He's a decent guy and I want to go on this date", Nick began to pace, running his hands through his already mussed up hair._

_"Fine. Fine, you go out on your little date but don't come crying to me when he dumps you because you won't put out", Jeff cried, regretting the words as soon as they came out of his mouth._

_Nick froze in the spot he had been pacing in. He turned around slowly, the look on his face murderous._

_"I told you that in confidence. I told you that I wasn't ready for that. How could you use that against me? You're supposed to be my best friend!" Nick yelled, he began to shake with anger, his fingers itching to pick up that lamp and just throw it right at-_

_"No, man, I didn't mean it! I know you're not ready for anything like that", Jeff lowered his voice, not wanting his neighbours to hear. He stood, reaching out for his best friend, frowning as he moved away, "I am your best friend. I fucked up, I'm sorry"._

_"No! Jeff, you're not. Because you apologise now but then you fuck it all up again, and I'm sick of being messed around!" Nick was rooted to the spot, the words coming out of his mouth before he realised it._

_"What? When have I ever messed you around?" Jeff raised his voice once more._

_"All the time! You always flirt with me and hold my hand and act like a boyfriend would and you don't even care how I feel!" Nick screamed, not believing what he'd just said._

_"You- you like me", Jeff stuttered as the information slowly sunk in._

_"Yes. Yes, I do but save it. You're straight and you don't love me back", Nick's voice trembled._

_Jeff's eyes widened, "You love me?"_

_Nick groaned, his hands reaching up to cover his face._

_"Fine, yeah. I kind of do. And I want to go on this date because I just want to get over you. I just- I can't stand being around you all the time and not being with you the way I want you. So please, let me go on this date and don't judge me. We can go back to being friends, just not yet", and with that, Nick turned and fled the room, leaving a confused Jeff behind._

_The blonde sank back down onto his bed, starking at the spot where Nick was only seconds ago. Eyes stinging, he whispered the words he should have said a long time ago._

_"I love you too, Nick"._

_He lay down onto the pillow below, letting the tears take over._

* * *

><p>"He's missing".<p>

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><p>Dun dun dun! Where's Nick? Carry on reading and you'll find out...<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Just so you all know, I will be updating my other stories (Klaine A-Z, and this one!) very soon, hopefully in the next few days. Yay for updates!  
>I hope you all liked the first chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one too.<br>I don't own Glee, blah blah blah. Sob...

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><p>The choir room was shocked into silence as Jeff spoke.<p>

"We had a stupid fight, and he left. I tried to apologise, I did, honestly. And now I don't know where he is and he's been gone for a whole day and oh god, I can't lose him, he's my best friend. We have to find him, I have to- I have to..." Jeff trailed off, his tears choking him.

"You have to what, Jeff?" Blaine asked softly, still in his kneeling position.

"I have to tell him that I love him", Jeff whispered, so quietly that Blaine barely even heard it.

Blaine nodded in understanding, he knew it would only be a matter of time before Jeff realised his feelings for Nick. Standing up slowly, he walked over to Wes, bending down to whisper in his ear. The words went unheard, but when Blaine had finished speaking, Wes' face turned stony, his eyes becoming blank.

"This meeting is over. Can Kurt, Blaine, David and Jeff stay. We have some things to discuss", the asian boy spoke monotonely, his lips drawn in a tight line.

Blaine watched as the other boys filed out, muttering amongst themselves. Jeff was still shaking slighty, but Kurt had moved over to him and was now rubbing his back, whispering softly into his ear.

"Jeff", Wes spoke, his council member persona melting away, turning into caring friend, "We need to know exactly what happened last night. That way we can call the police and send a search party out. Have you looked for him yourself?"

Jeff looked up, nodding slighty. Sniffing, he said, "I skipped school today. I checked his parent's house, his grandparent's house. Any other relative's houses I could think of. I asked everyone if they'd seen him and no one has".

Wes nodded. Sighing loudly, he began to speak.

"David, call the police. Let them know we have a missing friend, tell them everything that Jeff just told us. Kurt, Blaine, take Jeff back to his dorm room. Hopefully the police will be here soon".

"What are you going to do?" Kurt spoke softly, guiding his blonde friend to the wooden double doors.

"I'm going to look everywhere I can think of, call everyone and ask if they know anything", Wes looked up, seeing the tears running down Jeff's face, "We'll find him, Jeff. I promise".

* * *

><p>After speaking to the police, David made his way to the main entrance of the school. There he found the Headmaster and several other of Nick's teachers. The flashing lights on the road in front of the school indicated that the police had responded quickly. Stepping out of a car came two police officers.<p>

"Good evening", a brunette greeted.

"We have a report of a missing kid?" A slight taller man asked.

"Yes, one of our students went missing yesterday afternoon. His roomate told us that they'd had a fight and he walked out", the headmaster said.

"Are you his roomate?" the woman asked, turning to look at David.

"No, his roomate's in his dorm, do you want to speak to him?" David replied.

"If we could", the woman smiled, following the boy into a dorm building, the headmaster and other police officer in tow.

* * *

><p>Jeff lay on his bed, wearing one of Nick's old hoodies. The brunette's scent engulfed him. The smell of cologne and mint and just <em>Nick<em> made him calmer but more anxious at the same time. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, hoping that in his dreams he would see his best friend again, a sharp knock at the door drew him from his slumber. Groaning loudly, he threw the covers back and dragged himself out of bed and to the door. Cracking it open slightly, he saw David, two police officers and the headmaster standing at his door, and anxious look on their faces. He opened the door fully.

Rubbing his eyes, he said, "Hey guys, sir, police dudes..." he trailed off, not really sure what to say.

"Hello Jeff, I'm PC McCauley. I've come to ask you a few questions about your friend's dissappearance", the woman held out her hand to shake, Jeff accepting reluctantly.

"Can we come in?" the man asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sure..." Jeff stepped aside to let them in.

"So Jeff. Can you explain to us what happened yesterday afternoon?" the woman asked.

Jeff took a deep breath, sitting down on his bed while wrapping his arms around himself.

"Well, after school, Nick and I came up to our room. This one..." Jeff gestured weakly around the room, "He told me that a guy had asked him out, and when I told him that I didn't think it was a good idea, we started argueing".

"Do you think the boy who asked him out is dangerous?" the male police officer asked.

"No, I don't know. I don't know him", Jeff mumbled.

The female police seemed to understand. _Young love_, she thought.

"So when Nick left? Was he angry or upset?" she asked.

"Both", Jeff replied.

"And is that the last time you heard from him? He didn't call you afterwards?" the man asked.

Jeff shook his head, "No, he didn't call. I haven't spoken to him".

"Can you give us a description of him? And maybe a picture too?" the woman asked.

"About 5"10, longish brown hair, brown eyes. He was wearing his uniform when he left but I know he keeps spare clothes in his car", Jeff replied.

"But his car's still in the parking lot", David added.

"So he's probably still in his uniform?" the woman asked.

"Yeah", David and Jeff answered together, both almost whispering.

"Do you have a picture we could have?" the man asked.

"Yeah, hold on", Jeff stood up and walked over to Nick's bedside table. Opening the second drawer, he pulled out a picture of him and Nick together at Blaine's 16th birthday party. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turned to face the officers, holding out the picture.

"It's the only good one I have", he mumbled, trying to ignore the ache in his chest when the picture was taken from him.

"Thank you. We'll let you know if we find anything", the police officers stood up and left, closing the door behind them.

The headmaster stood up also. Turning to Jeff, he said, "As you are in no state to attend school, I can give you some time off. A couple of weeks, or until they find Nick. I'm sorry this happened, but I am positive the police will find him".

Jeff smiled at the headmaster, watching as he also left the dorm room.

There was a heavy silence before David spoke.

"Do you want some time alone?" he asked.

Jeff nodded, sliding under the covers, but this time in Nick's bed.

David sighed as he stood up and followed the headmaster's path out of the room.

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><p>Poor depressed Jeff. I like sad things though. No, actually, I like happy things and smut :)<br>Review!


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to the two people who have reviewed! Means a lot :')  
>I'm trying so hard to upload new chapters really often, but it's hard. Surely you understand? :(<br>Anyway, here's a little something that I thought would be a good addition/distraction while I think of other interesting things to happen that I can turn into chapters :)  
>Once again, I don't own glee.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Mommy... Please don't leave me!" A six year old Jeff clung to his mother, whining at the thought of being alone in the big park.<em>

_"Oh Jeff, honey. I won't leave you. I'll be on that bench over there. You see?" Jeff lifted his head to look at where his mother was pointing. Sure enough, there was a bench with a table in that direction._

_"But what if I don't make any friends?" he whimpered, his bottom lip quivering._

_"Of course you will. Look, there's a boy on his own over there. Why don't you go and talk to him?"_

_Jeff turned his head to look over to the sand pit. In it, was a boy about his age playing with action men with comic books surrounding him. Jeff grinned._

_"Okay! Bye mommy!" He yelled, running over to the boy. Jeff's mother laughed, shaking her head at her little boy's antics._

_Jeff came to a halt in front of the boy. What did he do now? Did he say hello? What if the boy didn't want to talk to him? What if he thought he was weird? What if he was weird? Luckily, the boy looked up before he could think anymore._

_"Hi", he said, looking up, squinting at the sun._

_"Hi... I'm Jeff", sticking his hand out just like his daddy, Jeff greeted the boy._

_The boy took his hand, shaking it weakly, "I'm Nick"._

_"Hi Nick! Are those action men?" Jeff asked smiling._

_"Yeah, I like action men", Nick replied shyly, looking down._

_"Well I love action men. They're the coolest thing ever!" Jeff flopped down onto the sand next to Nick._

_"I know right! Everyone in my family thinks they're lame. Especially my sisters, but they like Barbie s", Nick groaned._

_"Ugh Barbie? Barbie s are gross! And boring. Why would you play with Barbie s when you could have action men? They beat Barbie s every time", Jeff replied._

_"I know! My sister tried to make me play 'save the Barbie princess from the burning tower'. It was awful!"_

_"Aw, that sucks. I only have a younger brother, but he's too little to understand the epicness of action men", Jeff began to play with the sand under his hand, smiling up at the other boy._

_Jeff had spent that entire day playing with this new boy. They played with the action men for hours, talking about what other toys they liked, how gross girls were and how they would be best friends forever. But faster than either boy wished, the day came to an end, and they were separated by their parents, neither wanting to leave._

_"I'll see you again, won't I?" Nick called, straining his neck to look behind him as he walked away with his dad._

_"Yeah, I promise!" Jeff shouted back, sighing sadly as his new best friend disappeared from sight._

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><p><em>Nick was angry. Very, very angry. Why did he have to move anyways? He liked New York; he didn't want to go back to Westerville. There was nothing there! He could just stay with his grandparents! Or a friend. He was thirteen years old for pete's sake, his parents couldn't just uproot him like this!<em>

_"Nick? Are you done packing?" his mother called up the stairs._

_"Yeah, mom", he shouted back irritably._

_Footsteps were heard climbing the stairs, less than thirty seconds passed before a short brunette woman poked her head round the door._

_"Nick, honey", she said, stepping inside and sitting down on the bed next to her son, "I know you're upset that we're moving, but it's for the best, I promise"._

_"But my friend s ma! I can't just leave them behind!" Nick whined._

_"You can keep in touch, you can phone them, write them letters-"_

_"Write them letters? I'm not a girl! Only girls write letters!" Nick cried._

_"No, they don't. Anyway, you'll make new friends. In fact, there's a boy your age next door to the house we're moving into. You can make friends with him. Honey, I have to finish packing, cheer up?" His mother asked, standing from the bed._

_"Yeah, sure. Bye mom", Nick mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. This was going to be a long week, he thought._

* * *

><p><em>Moving in trucks were parked outside the Duval's new home. The house itself was impressive, but the neighbourhood was amazing. Houses of all ages, sizes and colours were sitting together in a cul-de-sac. The new house was one of the biggest in the estate, but it was hugely overshadowed by the houses around it.<em>

_Nick was lounging on one of the lawn chairs that had been unloaded from the trucks. His things had yet to be unloaded, so he took it upon himself to 'observe' the workers and make sure they were doing their job, when in actual fact, he was half-asleep._

_"Dude... Your house is awesome!" Nick cracked open an eye as a voice drifted onto his lawn. Standing before him was a tall-ish blonde boy, clearly about his age._

_"Thanks? I guess. Do you live next door?" he replied to the stranger._

_"Um, no. I live over the road. Number six", the boy said proudly, unaware that Nick was currently looking at him with a questionable gaze._

_"Do I know you?" Nick asked, still eyeing the boy._

_The boy shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe I remind you of someone? I'm Jeff, by the way", the boy said, holding his hand out for Nick to shake._

_A sense of deja vu washed over Nick. He was sure he knew this boy from somewhere, and the handshaking action seemed so familiar..._

_"I'm Nick", he smiled, taking the boy hand and shaking it._

_"So are you enrolled in a school yet?" Jeff asked, pulling his hand back and bouncing on the balls of his feet._

_"Um, my mom said something about Westerville State Middle School?" Nick replied._

_"I go there! Oh dude, we totally have to hang out! I mean, if you do actually start there", Jeff grinned, "Well, I have to get going; I can hear my brother shouting me. See you round!"_

_And with that, he was gone, crossing the street in a matter of seconds and disappearing into his house._

_"Yeah, cya..." Nick murmured, trailing off and closing his eyes once more._

* * *

><p><em>Middle school in Westerville sucked. The people in New York were so much more friendly and interesting. Everyone here just seemed so dull. Entering the combination for his locker, he swung the cold metal door open and swapped his history book for a biology one. Shutting the door with a satisfyingly loud slam! Nick came face to face with a familiar blonde-haired boy.<em>

_"Hey Nick!" the blonde grinned, falling into step beside Nick as the brunette began to walk down the crowded hallway._

_"Hey Jeff", Nick smiled at his best friend. Over the summer, they had become inseparable, always spending time at each other s houses. One night, Jeff had stayed over, and they'd stayed up all night. Playing video games on mute so they didn't wake anyone up, and tiptoeing down to the kitchen for midnight snacks._

_"How's school going then? I mean, for you. It sucks for me", Jeff asked, putting some papers in his backpack._

_"Well, it sucks. The people suck. The classes suck. The teachers suck. I miss New York", Nick replied, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans._

_"Aw, cheer up man, it can't get much worse. At least we have some classes together", Jeff replied, putting a comforting hand on his best friends shoulder._

_Nick was about to reply when he felt Jeff's hand being torn away. Letting out a cry, he felt the hard metal of the lockers next to him connect with his shoulder. He felt his back slam against the lockers before he slid down to the floor._

_"Crap! Nick are you okay?" he heard Jeff shout, worry evident in his voice._

_"I'm fine, I'm fine. He probably just didn't see me", Nick mumbled as he allowed himself to be pulled up by his friend._

* * *

><p><em>Nick vaguely heard the grandfather clock in the kitchen chime, showing that it was two in the afternoon. It was Sunday; therefore he had nothing to do. He had finished his chores, tidied his room, eaten lunch and taken the dog for a walk, and simply put, he was bored.<em>

_Okay, not bored, more like thinking because he had nothing to do. And at the moment thinking was bad. He knew he was gay. His parents knew he was gay, and they accepted and supported him. The only person that didn't know he was gay was Jeff. He wanted to tell him, he really did, but he was so scared of what he would think of him. Would he be disgusted? Tell him to never speak to him again? Or would he be accepting? Put his hand on his shoulder like he always did when Nick needed comforting and tell him that it didn't matter, and that they were still friends? Nick was torn. He couldn't lose his best friend._

* * *

><p><em>"Mom? Can Nick come over for lunch?" Jeff called through the empty house.<em>

_"Sure, if he wants. We're having potato salad and chicken!" Jeff's mother shouted back._

_"That's fine, Mr Sterling", Nick cried, walking into the lobby of his best friend's home._

_"Oh Nick, it's Heather to you", Jeff's mother gushed, rushing in to take their coats, "Oh Jeff, I just found an old photo album from when you were little. Go take a look; it's on the kitchen table"._

_Jeff grabbed his best friend's arm and ran into the kitchen. Sure enough, on the table was an old photo album, pages open somewhere in the middle._

_"Nicky! Look! Aww, I was so cute", he laughed._

_"Yeah, what happened?" Nick teased, giggling when his friend looked at him with mock hurt in his eyes._

_"I was cute! Look, oh there's me in the bathtub!" Jeff pointed at a faded picture in the top left hand corner._

_"Man, I don't need to see that, turn the page", Nick said, elbowing Jeff in the ribs lightly._

_Jeff squeaked as he turned the page. There he found a couple of picture of his younger self at the park. In one of the pictures was him with another little boy, playing in the sand, surrounded by action men._

_"Action men! Oh they are so cool! See? Even when I was little I was cool!" Jeff laughed, turning to look at Nick. He stopped laughing when he saw the concentrated look on his face._

_"Jeff. That's me..." Nick mumbled disbelievingly._

_"What? Are you sure?" Jeff replied, taking a closer look at the picture._

_"Yeah, I'm sure. I had those exact pants, the same t-shirt, and I remember the sneakers because I begged my mom for them, and I found them yesterday. And, I had those exact action men. Jeff, that's me", Nick said once again, looking up at his blonde friend._

_"That's so awesome!" They cried in unison._

* * *

><p><em>Jeff didn't understand why Nick would turn down Lisa Jenkins, the prettiest girl in the whole world. Well maybe not the world, but definitely in the whole school. When said girl had walked up to Nick with a pink slip of paper in her hand, she had nervously said to the boy, "Will you go on a date with me?" Jeff thought Nick would agree, taking the number and promising her that he would call, but instead, all she got was a "No thanks, I don't really think it would work out, I'm sorry". When Lisa walked away, Jeff had begun to fire questions at Nick.<em>

_"But I don't understand! Lisa Jenkins is hot. You know it. I know it. The whole freakin' school knows it. And she's an older woman, we're only freshman, she's a sophomore..." Jeff explained, manically waving his hands around as if to prove a point._

_"I just don't like her. Not in that way anyway, she's nice, sure. But I don't want to go on a date with her. If you like her so much, why don't you ask her out?" Nick replied as the pair turned onto his driveway._

_"Maybe I will. So if you don't like her, is there anyone you do like? I mean, there are plenty of girls in that school. Surely there's one?" Jeff grinned, nudging Nick with his elbow._

_Nick froze. Maybe now would be a good time to tell him? He'd kept it a secret for so long. Walking into the kitchen, he plopped down onto a stool, motioning for Jeff to do the same._

_"I have to tell you something", he stated, staring down at his hands._

_Jeff looked at him with a confused look on his face, "Um, sure. What's up?"_

_"There's a reason I turned Lisa down", he began, noticing how his voice started to shake, "Look, Jeff. Please don't judge me. Promise me?" He looked up with pleading eyes._

_Jeff promised, "We're best friends, right?" he said._

_Nick nodded, "Which is why I have to tell you", he took a deep breath, "Jeff, I- I'm gay", he finished, looking down once more, waiting for the rejection._

_Jeff, meanwhile, was shocked. He'd always thought Nick might be gay, and it was never a thought that bothered him. Why didn't he just tell him sooner? _

_"Nick. Look at me", he said, waiting for his best friend to look up before locking eyes with him, "I don't care if you're gay, straight, bi. You're still my best friend and this doesn't change a thing between us. You're still Nick. You're still the same guy I met two years ago when you first moved here. Thank you for trusting me and telling me, but you really had no reason to worry"._

_At this point Nick had begun to cry, tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. He looked down once more, "I know, but I was just so scared. I didn't want to lose you", he mumbled, hiccupping every now and then._

_Jeff stood up and made his way around the counter to pull his best friend into a tight hug, "Don't cry, Nicky. You're still the agent 3 to my agent 6", he laughed softly, holding onto his best friend, letting him cry to his heart s content._

* * *

><p><em>This isn't right, Jeff thought. Everything was so white. People rushing around, people talking loudly, loud enough to make his head spin. He sat in his wet clothes, soaked from sprinting in the rain. When he got the call, he ran. He didn't bother with his car.<em>

_"Family of Nick Duval?" A woman s voice called out into the waiting area, and Jeff looked up, looking at Nick's parents as if to say 'me too?' The looks he received confirmed his question, and he stood up and followed the nurse, Nick's father trailing behind him, his hand resting on his shoulder._

_The nurse led the trio into a small, white room. Nick's mother began to sob, taking in the sight of her son, beaten and bruised. Jeff was distinctly aware of Nick's father freezing, but he wasn't paying attention. His best friend. The person he could rely on the most was lying in a hospital bed, wires going in and out of him. His pale skin almost blended in with the white sheets on the bed, even though it had a greyish tinge to it. Jeff started to cry, it wasn't fair. How could someone do this to the nicest, kindest, most amazing person he knew?_

_He wasn't aware of the fact that he had moved towards Nick's bedside, sitting down in one of the plastic seats as he took in the sight before him. He was, however, aware of the conversation Nick's parents were currently having._

_"Oh, John. You have to. It's for his own safety. You know how cruel kids can be! Dalton will be safe, and better! I can't sleep at night knowing that my son is in danger. This new school will be a better place for him", He heard Nick's mother, Heather, say._

_There was a short silence before Nick's father spoke, "I'll arrange for a transfer tomorrow morning. I'm sure we can pull some strings"._

_They were sending him away. Jeff had heard about Dalton. it was a private school. A private, boarding school. He'd never see Nick again, or at least not as much. Putting his head in his hands, Jeff realised that he was losing his best friend, but he knew it was for the best._

* * *

><p><em>Dalton was good. No, Dalton was amazing. The school was huge, everything polished and antique. The classes were harder, sure, but the kids were so much nicer, more welcoming and friendly. He'd made plenty of friends, including the Warblers. Blaine was also someone that he had gotten close to. He'd been assigned to show Nick around, and they'd become friends the moment they had met. he'd been through so much, Nick had learned, but he understood. He had the scars, just like himself. And because of this, their similar pasts, they bonded, and became the best of friends.<em>

_The only thing that Dalton really lacked, and this was Nick just being selfish, was his best friend. The first person that ever understood him more than the people that raised him. Even though Nick had settled into Dalton particularly well, he couldn't stop thinking about the times when Jeff would show up in his house unannounced, making his presence known by the unbelievable amount of noise he made. Nick's dorm room was eerily quiet. He didn't like it. He wanted Jeff._

* * *

><p><em>"Mama?" Jeff called into the lounge, "Can I talk to you?" he asked.<em>

_"Sure, baby. Sit down", his mother replied, patting the old leather couch she was sat on, "What's going on, honey?"_

_"I just- I don't, I don't feel safe at my school anymore. There are football players and hockey players everywhere. They're so mean, mom. I saw one of them stuff a kid in a closet for looking at one of them wrong. I hate it. Can I transfer? Please understand mom", he looked up at his mother, his eyes pleading._

_His mother sighed, "It's not just because of the football players is it?"_

_Jeff averted his eyes. It was no lie that he missed his best friend. It just wasn't the same without him around. It was kind of lonely._

_"And you're sure you want to transfer?" Jeff nodded slightly._

_"Well, good. Because I had your transfer papers sent in this morning. You're going to Dalton. You'll be boarding, it's too far to drive every day, but you'll come home every weekend?" His mother smiled as Jeff looked up in shock at her._

_"What?" She said, "I know my son. Also, Dalton is much better than the school you're at now. Much more fun", she finished with a twinkle in her eye._

_"Mom, I love you!" Jeff cried, flinging himself into the woman's arms, "When can I start?"_

_"In a week. So get packing", she said with a soft smile._

_"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! This is awesome!" Jeff stood up and ran up the stairs to his room. No doubt to start packing, his mother thought._

_"Do you think he knows yet?" Jeff's father asked from the doorway to the kitchen. He was leaning against the frame with his arms crossed._

_"I don't think so. But he will, and we'll make sure we support him all the way", his mother replied, standing up and stretching._

_"We will", his father said, looking up to the top of the stairs. From where he was standing, he could see a tall blonde boy throwing clothes into a suitcase. And for the first time in two months, he looked happy._

* * *

><p><em>"Blaine, no. You don't get it I don't want a roommate! I like having the room to myself", Nick moaned, lying on the floor of his two friend's shared room.<em>

_"Nick, look. You have a double room. You were bound to get stuck with someone eventually. Just hope you get along with them. I'm sure Wes thought the same thing when he found out I was going to room with him, but look at us. We're the best of friends", Blaine grinned, slinging an arm around his friend's shoulder, laughing as he received an eye roll in return._

_"Sure, Blaine. Best of friends", Wes muttered, but smiling at the same time._

_"Ugh, whatever. I'm going to my room. Savour what privacy I have left..." Nick groaned as he lifted himself up from the floor. Opening the door, he walked out into the bright hallway, walking until he reached his room._

_"Stupid Dalton, stupid roommate, stupid invasion of privacy. I bet he's boring, and dull, and dumb, and stupid..." he muttered to himself as he opened the door to his room._

_"Actually, I'm quite smart. And entertaining and humorous", Nick froze. He knew that voice. Turning around to face the extra bed, he was met with the sight of his best friend lounging on the Dalton regulation sheets, "And whatever privacy you have, it doesn't apply when I'm around"._

_Nick was shocked into silence. His best friend, who was supposed to be an hour away in their neighbourhood, was sat in his room acting like he'd been there forever._

_"What are you, why are you... What's going on?" Nick managed to say, at a loss for words._

_Jeff stood up and walked over to Nick. Standing directly in front of him he said, "I'm your new roommate"._

_(line separation)_

_As Jeff lay in the bed across the room from Nick's, he listened to the soft, steady breathing coming from his best friend. After all those months of being apart, they had finally be reunited. They were together. It wasn't just Jeff, nor was it just Nick. It was Nick and Jeff, just like it had been for 3 whole years, and the time at the park when they were little kids. Jeff found himself reminiscing over the memories that they'd made. How they spent a whole day making a kite during the summer, just to find that it wouldn't fly because there was no wind. He remembered the day that Nick had come out to him, and how he was so scared. If anything, it had just strengthened their bond. They'd always been inseparable, nothing could, or ever would, change that. And as he thought back through the past years, Jeff found that over time, he had fallen in love with his best friend._

_And he wasn't the least bit scared._

_"Because it's Nick", he whispered to the dark room._

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><p>Jeff woke with a start. He was still in Nick's bed. Which meant Nick was still gone. The familiar scent of his best friend engulfed his senses once more as lay his head back down onto the pillow, silently crying himself to sleep.<p>

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><p>I think that this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Feel free to point out any mistakes. Also, I don't have a clue about how old you have to be to be in a certain grade in America. I'm English, you see, so I'm blissfully ignorant about that. I suppose I should Google it... But if you're feeling particularly generously you could explain it all in a review. It would help with the story :)<p>

Thank you for reading and don't forget to review!


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to all of the lovely people who have reviewed my story :)  
>As those lovely people now know, I've planned out what's going to happen in the next chapters. There will be ten and an epilogue :)<br>Disclaimer- I do not own Glee or any of the actors that play the characters (as much as I might want to).

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><p>Light filtered into the dorm room through the gaps in the curtains. Jeff sat on the carpet at the foot of his bed, the contents of an almost-forgotten box scattered around him. In his hands was an old action man, the clothes faded and covered with a thin layer of dust. A stray tear dropped onto it, darkening a tiny spot on the tiny jacket. Jeff placed the action man back into the dusty, worn down box, instead choosing to pick up a piece of paper. The edges were frayed and the colour had faded, but Jeff could still clearly see what it was. A five year olds drawing stared back up at him, the crayon smudged where the paper had been leant on. On the paper, two stick figures were holding hands, one with brown hair, one with bright yellow. Jeff chuckled, he was sure his hair wasn't that bright. Underneath the two stick figures and a neatly coloured sun were three words. Three words that made Jeff's eyes sting and stomach churn. Clutching the paper to his chest, Jeff began to cry.<p>

_Best friends forever._

"I feel like I've let you down", he whispered.

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><p>It was Jeff's last day staying off school. He had spent most of it curled up in his best friend's bed, too upset to do much else. The hallways outside of his dorm room were quiet; most of the other students were in class. The curtains in his room were still drained, creating an eerie feel to the atmosphere. Jeff rolled onto his stomach, restlessness taking over. Groaning, he threw the covers off his body and stepped onto the soft carpet below. Picking up a towel and some clean clothes, he walked into the bathroom.<p>

* * *

><p>"So you say he was the last person Nick was seen with?"<p>

"Yes. They left the coffee shop and headed downtown. That was at about 7:00pm, the barista said".

"Do we know the name of the boy he was with?"

"Yep. Alex Johnson".

"Seems like we have a lead..."

* * *

><p>The clock on the wall hated him. He was sure of it. It was going slow on purpose. Stupid clock.<p>

It was Tuesday morning and Jeff found himself sat in his Literature class. He knew that he'd have to work twice as hard to catch up on the work he had missed, but he couldn't seem to focus on the words in front of him. It was ten minutes before the bell was supposed to ring, but the hands on the clock seemed to be moving at a snail's pace, and Jeff was losing his mind. Turning his head to look at the window, he saw that rain had begun to fall, soaking the Dalton grounds and making the trees shimmer.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted the teacher's lecture and she made her way over to the door to open. A young student stood clutching a piece of paper, standing nervously as he handed it over. The teacher read it quickly.

"Jeff. The Principal wants to see you", she said.

Jeff didn't even have time to blush as he felt twenty pairs of eyes on him as he was out the door in less than ten seconds, cramming his papers into his messenger back without caring to fold them.

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><p>"Wait, so you don't know where he is?" Jeff asked, one eyebrow raised.<p>

The police officer perched on the Headmaster's desk sighed, "We have a vague idea".

"But you're not sure?"

"Well no, but at least we have something", the man replied, removing his hat and running a hand through his hair.

"But it doesn't seem like much!" Jeff cried.

"Look, honey, I know you're upset, but we'll find your friend", a familiar female officer said soothingly.

"How do you know? If you barely have a lead?" Jeff sighed, letting his back hit the chair as he sighed loudly.

"Look kid, I deal with all sorts of missing cases. So don't tell me how to do my job!" The male shouted, moving forward to grip the sides of Jeff's chair, "Or I'll drop this case faster than you can say 911".

Jeff's gaze didn't faltered, instead he leaned forward, hate dripping from his voice, "My father's a lawyer. He'll sue you for everything you're worth if you even think about", he spat.

The police officer stayed silent, removing his hands from the chair and heading towards the door, "Come on, Karen!" he barked.

The female officer looked at Jeff with a sympathetic look in her eyes, "Don't worry. We'll find your friend, I won't let you down", before following her co-workers path out of the office.

Jeff sighed once more; this was going to be a long day.

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><p>I'm baaaack from the dead. No, I didn't die, I'm just awful at updating : But you all forgive me right?  
>It's short I know. Look into your crystal ball to find out when the next chapter's up and then tell me :)<br>Review!


	5. Chapter 5

**I COME BEARING CHAPTERS!**

^^^Did it sound liked I was shouting?^^^

I have an idea that might make you review; it might sound familiar if you've read any of my other stories, but every review I get means that Riker Lynch will take off his shirt? I don't know, just please review? Pretty please?  
>This chapter... is a little bit gruesome. If you don't want to read homophobic slurs and violence I suggest you skip, and I'll post an overview in the next chapter. It also has strong language too. So please don't slate me if you don't like it because I WARNED YOU.<br>Other than that, enjoy? :S Disclaimer- I don't own Glee... *le sigh*

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><p>He'd been here a week. In the same room, in the same clothes, with barely any food for a week. What did he ever do to deserve this? He should've never stayed with Alex. He should have gone straight back to Dalton. Back to Jeff.<em> I miss him<em>, Nick thought.

A loud bang roused him from his thoughts. The door to the room banged open, a large man in his forties standing in the doorway.

"Get up!" He barked, smirking as Nick scrambled to his feet.

"So prep boy. I still can't get hold off Daddy. Looks like you'll be here for a while", he snarled.

Nick trembled, "What do I have to do with this? I've not done anything to you!"

"You're a hostage, you idiot! I keep you here until your precious little father pays up. Understand?" The man yelled, grabbing Nick by his shoulders and slamming into a nearby wall.

Nick gasped, the air knocked out of him. He nodded weakly.

"Answer me, you little shit!" The man yelled.

"Yes, I understand..." Nick moaned.

"Good. Now I'm going to phone your father again. Just hope he answers this time", the man sneered, slamming the door as he left the room.

The room, yes. The dull, dingy room Nick had been thrown in when he first arrived on Alex's doorstep. He'd been grabbed by the arm, and pulled up the stairs. When he looked at Alex for help, he was greeted by a blank face and emotionless eyes. He'd fought back, but all that gained him was a kick to the stomach and a sprained wrist. The room only had a small window, too small to climb out of and Nick was too terrified to try and escape through the unlocked door.

It's wasn't like he hadn't tried, but whenever he came close to the door the sound of heavy footsteps would scare him back into his spot in the corner. The room didn't even have a bed. It was literally a plain room with plain white walls and a cold wooden floor. A small bathroom was connected to it but all it held was a grime covered shower, toilet and sink, but Nick had given up on personal hygiene, he just wanted to get out. He was so stupid! Why didn't he just go back to Dalton? Why did he let Alex take him home? Because he thought he was a nice guy? _Nice guy my ass_, Nick thought.

* * *

><p><em>The Lima Bean was almost closing, and by the looks Nick and Alex were getting from the baristas, it was time they left too.<em>

_"We should get going. Do you want me to take you back to Dalton? I could let you stay in my spare room tonight. If you want..." Alex asked._

_Nick contemplated going back to Dalton and facing his friend. It was never a good idea to sleep before making up with someone, was it? He should really go and talk things over with his best friends. Nevertheless, he just didn't have the energy and it could lead to another argument. He just couldn't handle that._

_"Uh... Yeah, sure. If that's okay, I wouldn't want to impose", he said after a second._

_"Oh no, my parents will understand. They know what teenage boys are like. Plus, my mom's always asking me why I never seem to bring my friends home", Alex smiled. He gestured to the door, "Shall we go?"_

_"Yeah, sure", Nick replied, returning the smile._

_The parking lot was empty, the other customers having left a long time ago. The night air nipped at the boys' skin, sending shivers down their spines._

_"Good thing you didn't bring your car. Or you'd have to leave it", Nick raised a questioning eyebrow. Alex noticed his confused gaze, "Oh, there's only room for three cars on my driveway and my mom and dad are already home", he explained._

_Nick nodded in understanding. He climbed into the passenger seat, resting his forehead against the cool glass._

_"My house isn't far from here. Try and stay awake", Alex chuckled, pulling out of the parking lot._

_Nick mumbled in return. He really was tired. But he should stay awake, it was someone else's car..._

_He felt Alex's hand shaking his shoulder. That's weird, he thought, the car's stopped._

_"What?" He asked groggily._

_"We're at my house?" Alex chuckled._

_"Oh, I fell asleep didn't I?" Nick asked, a blush creeping up his neck as he opened the door and stepped out of the car._

_"Hey, it's fine. I do it all the time when I'm not driving", Alex unlocked the door, gesturing for Nick to go inside. The hallway was dark; Nick couldn't see a thing. He shrieked in pain when a hand grabbed his wrist, the light flicking on. A man was clutching tightly at his arm, pulling him in the direction of the stairs._

_"Alex! Alex, help!" He cried, twisting around to look at his friend. Alex stood there with his eyes averted, no emotion showing on his face._

_"You set me up", Nick whispered, as he was pulled along the hallway and shoved into a room._

* * *

><p>He didn't actual know what Alex's family wanted with him. He was just some random guy, right? Wrong; his father and Alex's father were in some kind of feud, both wanting money from each other. Sure, they'd both done stupid stuff to get money from one another, but this was taking the situation to a whole new level. A hostage? <em>Seriously?<em>

No matter how much Nick mulled over the situation, he couldn't seem to understand it. Why was this money so important? Why was he being brought into it?

Because him and his father were close, and it would kill him if anything ever happened to his son.

Nick's back gently hit the wall, and he slid down until he was sat on the floor. Not for the first time that week, Nick felt a lump form in his throat and his eyes stinging.

_I just want Jeff..._

* * *

><p>I'm sorry, I hope it wasn't too bad; it might get worse in future chapters. And to the reviewer call 'nestling', thank you so much for explaining the schools and grades to me, I've concluded that Nick and Jeff are in... ELEVENTH GRADE! So they're both juniors! Yay! Thank you seriously.<br>And to the rest of you, review! Because you know what happens when you review...^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ :D


	6. Chapter 6

Hi guys! I just want to take a moment to say thank you to those who have reviewed and who have actually talked to me and offered to help when I get writer's block. It really means a lot, so thank you :) each and every one of you. My inbox has never been so full!

* * *

><p><em>They don't know where he is<em>, Jeff thought bitterly._ They're fucking police! Aren't they supposed to be experts in this stuff? They should know. They should fucking know._

It was a cold December morning. Jeff was sat on one of the stone benches that were located in Dalton's courtyard. Yes, he was supposed to be in class, but he couldn't bring himself to stand up and take those steps to his classroom, which was in fact only a few yards away. He knew the teacher could probably see him, and he wondered why he hadn't come outside and told him to move. They probably felt sorry for him. They probably thought that he wanted to be alone.

_Well, maybe I do,_ he thought.

"You and I both know that's not true", a voice from behind him made him jump. He jumped, and turned around to face the offender.

Kurt stood a few feet away, shuffling his feet, "You were talking to yourself", he said sheepishly, looking down at his shoes.

"I know. I do that sometimes. What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Jeff asked, turning back around.

"Aren't you?" Kurt replied, stepping around to the front of the bench, where Jeff could see him.

"Touche", Jeff averted his eyes from the slender boy.

"Look, the last thing you want right now is to be alone. You're so used to having someone around you all the time, someone who was willing to talk and listen, that you actually don't know what to do with yourself right now", Kurt murmured, sitting down next to the blonde.

"Get out of my head", Jeff whispered, closing his eyes for a second.

"I know, Jeff. Trust me I know. When my Dad had a heart attack, he was in a coma. Everyone just assumed that I wanted to be left to my own devices, but they were far from right. I wanted someone to hold me and talk to me and listen and tell me that everything would be okay, even if it wasn't. That's what you want, Jeff. No", Kurt paused, taking a breath, "That's what you need".

Jeff felt a warm tear slide down his cheek, "I miss him, Kurt", he whispered brokenly.

Kurt moved closer, pulling his friend towards him. Jeff began to cry, the hot tears being soaked up by Kurt's thick winter coat.

"I know, Jeff. But Nick's strong. You and I both know that. He'll be okay", Kurt rubbed Jeff's back, fishing around his pocket for a tissue.

"What if I never see him again?" Jeff sat up, taking the tissue and dabbing at his cheeks.

"You will", Kurt replied simply, before standing up and leaving Jeff in the courtyard alone.

* * *

><p>He did. He sat through a whole class. The fact that it was Nick's favourite class helped. Chemistry, and he actually understood it now! But once again, he found himself in the courtyard. It was colder now, and as he looked up to the sky, he saw soft, white snowflakes beginning to fall, covering the ground with a thick, white blanket.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Come on, Jeff! One snowman? Pleeeeease?" Nick whined adorably, wrapped up in his hat and scarf.<em>

_"But Nicky, it's cold!" Jeff shouted from the doorway._

_"We can have hot chocolate after?" he asked, puppy dog eyes appearing._

_Jeff sighed, he knew he wouldn't win. With a smile forming, he trudged through the snow to his best friend._

* * *

><p>The snow falling faster now, covering everything it landed on. Jeff himself was covered in a thin layer, but he didn't care, not when the flashbacks kept coming.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Jeff, you're going to break your neck", Nick laughed as his friend tried to get on the large piece of wood.<em>

_"I won't. Anyway, this was your idea, you know how much I hate the cold", Jeff replied, "Hop on, Nicholas", he sat, patting the board in front of him._

_Nick raised an eyebrow, "You want me to go down with you?"_

_Jeff nodded._

_"At the same time?"_

_Another nod._

_"With you holding onto me?"_

_"Well if you'd rather I let go and let you slide off the board..."_

_"Right! Right, I'm coming..." Nick sighed, heart thumping in his chest as he sat down, his back touching Jeff's chest. He sucked in a gasp when he felt Jeff's arms slide around his waist._

_"Ready?" He heard Jeff ask._

_"Y-yeah", he choked out._

_The wooden board began to slide down the hill. The snow was rising up around them, covering them in a white powder. When they reached the bottom they stopped quickly, the board throwing them off. They landed in the snow together, in a mess of limbs, Jeff's arms still wrapped around Nick's waist._

_"You can let go now", Nick mumbled, trying desperately not to notice that Jeff's lips were only a few centimetres away._

_"Right, sorry dude. The shock, you know..." Jeff trailed off, standing up and offering a hand to help his best friend._

_"Yeah, yeah. You just wanted to get closer to me", Nick smirked, sticking out his tongue._

* * *

><p><em>Maybe I did, Nick. Maybe I did...<em>

Jeff's legs wobbled as he staggered to a nearby bench. His hands grabbed a handful of blonde hair as his legs gave out on him, the feeling desperation overpowering him. Hot, silent tears rolled down his cheeks as he vaguely became aware of someone frantically shouting his name, their voice laced with worry.

"Jeff? Jeff! Oh my god, are you okay? What happened?" Kurt yelled, rushing over to the blonde for the second time that day, Blaine running behind him. He pulled his friend into his arms, rocking him back and forth.

"What happened, Jeff?" He whispered.

Jeff's body shook with sobs, "Nick... the snow", he managed to choke out.

"Oh, honey..." Kurt swallowed back the lump in his own throat as he comforted his friend, "He'll be okay. They'll find him. Everything will be okay, Jeff. I promise", he said.

"Let's take him back to his dorm", Blaine said quietly.

Kurt looked up at his boyfriend, seeing the look on his face. He was hurting too, Nick was his friend.

"Yeah, let's go", he whispered, pulling Jeff up with him.

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><p>Aww, did it make you cry? I hope not...<br>Every review gets a niff kiss!


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter is for 'KlaineRomance'. My most frequent reviewer. Who seems to cry because of this story? Again, I'm sorry! :( Go check them out!  
>WARNING! THERE IS ALOT OF BAD LANGUAGE IN THIS CHAPTER! DON'T HURT YOUR POOR, SHELTERED EARS!<br>Um, thank you for all the lovely reviews, they mean a lot. Seriously. I haven't really got many reviews on my other stories and I'm just so glad that this story is different.  
>Disclaimer- I don't own anything related to Glee (except a shitload of posters and DVD's and CD's but you get what I mean).<p>

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><p>The room was quiet. Almost silent apart from the odd sigh coming from one of the other boys or a tapping of a pencil in the nearby corner. Jeff's eyes scanned the paper, taking in the text in front of him. Romeo and Juliet was one of Nick's favourites. He knew this because he'd been forced to watch it. More than once. But this knowledge just drove Jeff on. He knew he had to catch up on schoolwork. He'd only been off for a week, but the amount of work Dalton issued made it easy to fall behind. A sigh escaped his lips. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing up at the clock. Only ten minutes left...<p>

Looking across the classroom he caught a glimpse of another boy. He looked just as stressed as he did. Alex, wasn't it? Wasn't that the guy that Nick was supposed to have been seen last with? He knows something.

Jeff sat still in his seat, his jaw set, until the bell rang. He quickly grabbed his things and followed Alex out of the door. He was going to confront him. That bastard knew something.

* * *

><p>He was stupid. He was really, really stupid. Why did he let his dad do this? He actually liked Nick; he didn't want him to get hurt. So why was he just standing by letting his dad kick the shit out of him? He was weak and pathetic. He had to stop this.<p>

"Alex", came a voice from behind him. He turned around and came face to face with Nick's best friend. Jeff Sterling. Also known for being really good in a fight. He gulped.

"Jeff. How are you holding up?" he asked, hoping that the other buy didn't notice the waver in his voice.

"Don't give me any bullshit, Alex. Where's Nick?" Jeff's gaze was icy and he stared daggers into Alex's eyes. He snarled, a sign that the boy was fuming.

"What? Jeff, I don't know", he tried to stay calm, he really did, but it proved difficult when a 6ft tall boy was squaring up to him.

"Don't lie to me!" Jeff yelled before shoving Alex. Alex pushed back, only to find himself being held back by one of the Warblers.

"I'm not lying to you! How the fuck am I supposed to know where he is? I care just as much as you do, Jeff! Just because you've known him for fucking ever doesn't give you the right to think that you're affected the most by it!" He yelled, earning himself a growl, a 'fuck you' and a struggling Jeff, who was also being held back.

"Oh, you're just as upset? Do you go to sleep crying every night? Do you space out all the fucking time? Does your chest ache when you think about him because you miss him so fucking much? No, I don't think it does. And I swear to god you are so lucky because if I wasn't being held back I wouldn't hesitate in breaking your fucking nose. Asshole!" Jeff broke free of the arms holding him back and lunged at Alex.

The Warbler's that were holding Alex back let go of him immediately, knowing the damage that Jeff could cause. Jeff knocked Alex to the floor punching him square in the face. Alex felt blood pouring from his nose, but he fought back, swinging punch wherever he could.

"I hate you, you know that? You know where my best friend is. WHY. WON'T. YOU. TELL. ME!" Jeff cried, swinging his fist in time with his words. Alex began to feel light-headed, and barely noticed when Jeff was pulled off him by two burley looking police officers.

"Someone get a paramedic!" An unknown voice shouted.

One of the police officers shoved Jeff down the hallway and into an office. A faint "What the hell do you think you're doing?" was heard from the inside.

* * *

><p>"He knows! He fucking knows where he is but he won't say because he's such an asshole! Don't just stand there! Question him or something. Please", Jeff cried, his voice cracking at the end of the sentence.<p>

"I can't just interrogate a kid because you think he might know where your best friend is. We've already talked to him anyway. Says he and Nick left together, he dropped him off at the corner on Monroe Street, and then drove home. What more do you want us to do?" The same police officer that had threatened Jeff sat before him.

"Do something! There has to be something more you could do", Jeff whined. Was he shaking? Yes, he was shaking...

"Like what? Interview every kid that ever associated with your friend?" The officer cried, throwing his hands in the air.

Jeff replied with an unwavering gaze. The officer sighed, "We can't do that".

Jeff pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the permanent headache that he seemed to have had the past week. He sighed, and stood up.

"Whatever, let me know if you find something", he said, opening the door to the hallway outside.

"Get some ice on that eye, kid", the officer said, his lips drawn in a thin line.

Jeff turned and nodded slightly, and then he walked into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

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><p>I know it's short. I'm sorry, but the next chapter will hopefully be longer.<br>REVIEW! Please?


	8. Chapter 8

Hello all! I'm back from the dead, well, not the dead, but like I said to my reviewers, I've been having... technical difficulties. Anyway, I'm back now!  
>Disclaimer- I do not, or ever will, own Glee. Although I really wouldn't mind...<p>

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><p>When Nick cracked his eye open, the room was still dark. The sky outside was pitch black, and Nick could barely see his hand in front of his face. Too weak to move, he closed his eyes once more, listening to the sound of thumping footsteps.<p>

_Wait, footsteps?_

The door to the room was flung open, and not for the first time, an enraged man stormed inside.

"You! Up, now", he growled, pointing his finger at the brunette.

Nick sat up, his body screaming against it in the process. He shakily stood on his feet, hunched over slightly. The man handed him a phone.

"You are to phone your father. I want that money and I want it now!" The man yelled, his bloodshot eyes piercing into Nick's tired ones.

"What if he doesn't answer?" He asked, the words catching in his throat when Alex's father stepped closer to him. The stench of alcohol filled the air, making Nick's stomach flip and churn.

"Well then I'll just have to damage that pretty little face of yours, won't I?"

Nick gulped, swallowing the bile that had risen up in his oesophagus. He unlocked the phone with unsteady hands, dialling the familiar number. It rang once, twice, three times, four, five...

"Hello?" A groggy voice answered.

"Dad? It's me, Nick", Nick spoke slowly, trying not to let his fear show in his voice.

"Nick! Where are you, son? Are you hurt? Do I need to phone the police?" The voice was more awake now, demanding and scared.

"No, Dad. Don't phone the police. You remember Sean Johnson?"

"How could I forget?" Came the bitter reply.

Nick took a deep breath, "He wants money".

There was a thick silence from the other end, "How much?"

Nick turned to Alex's dad, "How much?"

"Twenty grand", he replied, never breaking his dark gaze.

"He wants twenty grand", Nick said.

"He's taken you, hasn't he?" A tired voice came from the phone. Nick could feel his eyes beginning to sting.

"Yeah", he replied, blinking hard.

"Put him on the phone", Nick's father replied, "And son, I'll get you back. I promise".

"Thanks, Dad", Nick swallowed hard, praying for the lump in his throat to go away for a second. He turned the Alex's dad, handing him the phone.

"He wants to talk to you", Nick said, watching as the phone was taken from him and his kidnapper exited the room, slamming to door behind him. He lay down on the floor again, closing his heavy eyes and letting sleep take over.

* * *

><p>By the time Nick woke from his slumber it was light outside. He had no idea what time it was; his phone had been taken from him and smashed in front of his eyes. He was aching all over, his body protesting whenever he tried to move. He lay flat on his back, staring at the dull ceiling when the door was opened, banging against the wall next to it. He barely had the time to look up before he was being dragged to his feet and slammed against the wall next to the window.<p>

"Daddy can't get me the money straight away. I want it now, but he can't give it to me until Thursday. That's two days away, so do you know what's going to happen now?" Alex's dad growled into the shorter brunette's ears.

"What?" Nick croaked, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"I'm keeping you here for longer. It's a shame really; I might have let you go today. Now I'll leave you alone, after you do one thing for me", the voice hissed, sending shivers down Nick's spine.

"What do you want?" Nick whispered, not trusting his voice anymore.

"Alex came home yesterday with a black eye and a bust lip. Told me that a Jeffrey Sterling picked a fight with him. Because of you. Also told me that this Jeff has a rather big crush on you. So you're going to break his heart", Alex's dad pulled back, a menacing look in his eyes.

Nick stomach flipped when Jeff's name was mentioned, but sank at the last sentence.

"Break his heart?"

"Shatter it into tiny little pieces. You're going to call him, tell him not to look for you, leave you alone and never speak to him again. Otherwise, I'll kill you", his voice lowered into a chilling whisper as he pulled the phone out of his pocket and handed it to Nick.

I can't. I can't. I can't. I love him, I can't do it. He looked up helplessly, only to be met with another growl and a 'Do it! Stupid boy!'

He shook his head and bit his lip. He looked up and looked the man straight in the eye, "No".

Something dangerous flashed in the older man's eyes, "what do you mean, no?"

"I won't do it. He's my best friend. No, scratch that. He's my everything. I won't break his heart. I love him", Nick replied, stubbornly crossing his arms.

"You stupid kid!" Alex's dad growled and lunged forward. He grabbed Nick by his neck and threw him to the floor. He aimed a kick anywhere he could reach. To his head, stomach, chest. He stamped on his wrist and Nick whimpered, curling up into a tighter ball. He was beginning to feel light-headed. Just stay awake...

"Next time, you'll do as I say! Insolent boy!" Alex's dad yelled and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him, shaking the floor in the process.

Nick looked blankly ahead, staring at the floor in front of him. It was wooden, no carpet, and plain. Only dust and a phone lay there.

_Wait, he left the phone?_

Nick shot up, winching sharply as he did so. He felt a pain shoot up his right arm; his wrist was definitely broken. He shuffled over to the phone, praying that it wasn't broken. He pressed the button, almost crying in relief when the screen lit up. He unlocked it and opened up the dial screen. He punched in the numbers then pressed call, waiting anxiously for the reply.

"911 emergency how can I help you?" Came a friendly voice.

"Help me. I-I've been kidnapped. And I'm locked in a room. Please help me", Nick whimpered into the phone, feeling tears run down his cheeks.

"Okay sir, do you have any idea where you are?" A woman's voice asked.

"I'm in Westerville. Somewhere downtown. I don't know the address..." Nick trailed off, a sharp pain in his stomach causing him to gasp. His vision was beginning to dim.

"Okay, I'll track the call. Hold on, sir... Okay, I have an address, I'm sending out an ambulance and a police car. Can you tell me your name?" The woman asked.

"It's Nick", he replied weakly.

"Okay Nick. Are you badly hurt?"

"He beat me up a couple of times if that counts..." Nick replied as bitterly as he could; the room was beginning to spin.

"Okay sweetie, are you having trouble staying awake?"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to pass out", he slurred.

"Honey, you need to stay away talk to me. You got a girlfriend?"

"No, I'm gay", Nick replied, laughing slightly.

"Okay, a boyfriend then?"

"No, I don't. Single as ever..."

"Aww, really? No one you have your eye on?"

"Well, there is one guy..." _Maybe if I just close my eyes for a second..._

"Tell me about him", the woman pressed on.

"He's called Jeff. I've known him forever. He's my best friend, but I don't think he likes me very much..."

"Why not?"

"We had this huge fight before I got kidnapped. He was so mad..."

"Sweetie, come on. Stay awake. What did you fight about?"

"I wanted to go on a date with this guy, and he flipped and said I shouldn't because he seems like a bad guy", Nick explained, sitting up properly.

"Sounds like he was jealous..." The woman replied.

"I don't think so. He's just really protective over me", Nick said. His head was clearing up a little. The room wasn't spinning anymore.

"So he really cares about you then?"

"Yeah, he does", Nick sighed.

"You should give him a chance, he might surprise you", the woman replied.

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><p>Dun, dun, dahhh! Finished! Review!<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

I'm on a roll... I'm on a roll... Hey guys! I really hope that you're enjoying the story! Only three chapters left! Including this one. But knowing me I'll have another one up sooner or later.  
>I don't own Glee, but I'm pretty sure you all know that, considering the fact that if I did it would be all about Dalton. I'd have to rename it eventually...<br>Anyway, here's chapter nine. Enjoy, and review!

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><p>Jeff was on edge. He'd woken up with a chill that just wouldn't go away. Something was going to happen, he knew it. He'd made it through his morning classes, barely managing to concentrate, but now it was twelve in the afternoon. The day was dragging. The bell rang and he trudged out of his AP Geography class, heading in the direction of the cafeteria. Gathered around a table in the middle of the big room, he saw his friends and fellow warblers. He dragged his feet slightly as he made his way over to the table.<p>

"Hey guys", he dumped his messenger bag on the table and sat down with a large sigh.

Blaine was the first to speak, "Hey Jeff, long day?"

"You have no idea. And on top of the mountains over homework and extra credit, I've just had this really weird feeling all day", he replied, letting his back hit the red plastic chair.

"What do you mean?" Wes asked, looking up from his pasta.

"I don't know! I've just been on edge. Like something's going to happen. It's just, weird, I know..." Jeff sighed, glancing over to the queue for sandwiches, debating whether he should get up and buy one.

"Maybe it's just stress, you've had a pretty crappy time lately", David interrupted, his voice quiet.

Jeff nodded slowly, "Yeah I suppose".

No one had time to reply as the cafeteria was filled with a voice, the sound coming from the overhead speakers.

"Can Jeffrey Sterling please make his way down to the Principal's office? Immediately, please", the familiar voice of the Principal's part time secretary filled the boys' ears. All eyes were suddenly on Jeff.

"You going?" Kurt asked.

"What choice do I have?" Jeff sighed once more, grabbing his bag and exiting the cafeteria, not caring that all eyes were watching him leave.

* * *

><p>Nick held the phone in his still shaking hands. He had long since hung up, wanting to stay as quiet as possible. He curled himself into the corner of the room, putting his head into his hands. Any minute now, they'll be here. I'll be safe. Please, hurry. Please.<p>

It was almost too quiet. No footsteps, no sirens, just... silence. He let his mind wander. What would he do when he was free? Eat first, definitely. He hadn't eaten properly for over a week, and stomach pains just weren't fun. He would have a long, hot shower. He'd want to see his family, his friends. Jeff.

He'd tell him he was sorry. He'd tell him that he was stupid to not go back to Dalton. He'd tell him that he loved him, but he'd also tell him that he could deal with just being friends.

_I can't lose you..._

His body was on fire. He really shouldn't have started pacing. His wrist kept sending shooting pains up his arm while throbbing in a steady beat. He was tired, hungry, and thirsty.

The tell-tale whine of sirens sounded outside of the house. Relief and fear washed over him at the same time. What if Alex's dad hurt him even more? Fear could do things to a person. He could actually kill him.

_I don't want to die..._

He heard shouting downstairs, followed by a loud bang. He heard footsteps on the stairs. He held his breath, curling in on himself even more. The footsteps were getting closer.

_I'm going to die..._

Closer, on the hallway now.

_I'm sorry, Jeff. I shouldn't have left._

Outside the door.

_I love you._

The door opened. Nick closed his eyes, fearing the worst. He expected kicks and punches, instead he felt someone touch his arm gently.

"Honey? Are you awake?" A gentle female voice sounded just in front of him. Nick released his breath, looking up slowly. He nodded.

"Are you okay to walk?" She asked.

"Yeah, I can walk", Nick whispered, allowing himself to be pulled up slowly.

"Come on, let's get you out of here", she said, wrapping a jacket around his shoulders and motioning to another paramedic.

* * *

><p>"Is he dead?" Jeff asked as soon as he opened the door to the Principal's office, his heart was pounding.<p>

"Quite the opposite actually", a familiar voice replied. Turning his head, Jeff came face to face with the male police officer that had been working on the case.

"Y-you found him?" He stuttered.

"We found him", the officer replied, smiling gently.

* * *

><p>Nick was led down the very same stairs that he was dragged up over a week ago. The house looked different. Bigger. He didn't care; he just wanted to get out. He walked past the living room, noticing that Alex's dad was knocked out on the floor, handcuffs holding his wrists together. Nick shuddered. I hope he gets locked away for good.<p>

He reached the landing, paramedics still in tow. Alex stood in front of him, shuffling his feet nervously. He too was handcuffed. Looking up, he met Nick's eyes.

"I'm sorry".

* * *

><p>He couldn't sit still. He was in a police car on the way to a crime scene. On his way to see Nick. Part of him wanted to jump for joy and scream and dance, but another part wanted to cry. How could he let this happen? He loved Nick. He may have only just realised it, but he loved him more than anything. What was that saying? Distance makes the heart grow fonder? Jeff's heart fucking ached.<p>

"Kid. We're here".

* * *

><p>Daylight! He could actually see, and feel, real daylight. He smiled slightly as he felt the sun s rays hitting his skin.<p>

He was finally free.

* * *

><p>The car pulled up outside an old Victorian style house. There were police cars surrounding it.<p>

_Oh god, that's an ambulance._

Jeff got out of the car and followed the police officer. He was led onto the garden path where they stopped. He looked up at the police officer next to him.

"Why have we stopped?"

"Because this is where you need to be", was his answer.

Jeff heard shuffling from inside the house. The door was already open, and from it came a police officer. His heart sank. Then a paramedic. His heart cracked.

Then Nick.

He froze, taking in the sight of the boy in front of him. His hair was ruffled and sticking up at odd angles. His skin was pale and he had dark shadows around his eyes. He looked so much thinner than the last time he'd seen him. His clothes were ripped, torn and blood-stained and hanging off his body, but what shocked him the most were Nick's eyes. They had never looked so vulnerable.

"Oh, Nick..." He whispered, before running to his friend and throwing himself into the shorter boy s arms.

"Jeffy..." Nick whimpered.

"Oh god, Nick. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry", Jeff cried, clutching onto his best friend like he would disappear if he let go.

"What for?" Nick sniffed.

"For lying to you. I love you, Nick. I always have. But I'm dumb and I didn't realise", Jeff knew that he was crying, but he didn't care. All that mattered was now.

Nick looked up into Jeff's eyes, "Jeff..."

"Nicky, let me speak? I know I realised it really late, but you mean absolutely everything to me. These past ten days have absolutely killed me. I not only realised that I love you, but I realised that I need you. You're my everything, and I don't want any of those other girls that I've dated. I want you, and only you", by the time Jeff was finished speaking both boys were in tears.

"I don't know what to say..." Nick murmured, still clutching onto Jeff.

"Say you love me back", Jeff replied, moving his hands up to cup Nick's face.

Nick didn't even hesitate for a moment, "I love you. I love you so, so much", he cried, before leaning forward and capturing Jeff's lips in a kiss.

They didn't hear the awe's. They didn't hear the gasps. They were in their own world. Jeff and Nick. Nick and Jeff. Their lips moved over each other softly, barely brushing but meaningful and passionate all the same. They clutched onto each other, Nick grabbing at Jeff's t-shirt as if wanting to pull him closer and Jeff cradling his best friend's face. The need for air made them pulled apart. Jeff rested his forehead on Nick's and looked into the eyes he had missed so much.

"Don't ever leave me again", he whispered, wiping a tear from Nick's cheek with his thumb.

"I promise. Never", Nick replied, pecking Jeff softly on the lips again.

"Boys, as much as I hate to break it up, we need to get Nick to hospital to get checked out", the female paramedic that had found Nick stood a few feet away, looking genuinely sorry.

"Can he come with me?" Nick asked, gripping onto Jeff.

"Yes, he can", she replied.

Nick was led over to the ambulance, his hand never leaving Jeff's. He was helped up into the vehicle, and then the doors closed behind him.

_I'm going to be okay..._

* * *

><p><em>"Blaine? Yeah, they found him. He's at Westerville Memorial Hospital. Yeah, I saw him. Yeah, we made up. Just get down here, okay?"<em>

_"Wes? Can you and David drive down to Westerville Memorial Hospital? They found Nick. Please hurry. You're on your way? Thank you"._

_"Thad, you and Trent get down here! They found Nick!"_

* * *

><p>The boys were sat on the plastic waiting chairs. Well, most of them were. Jeff was pacing in the centre of the room, having consumed three cups of coffee already. They had been waiting for over an hour, which wasn't helping Jeff's nerves.<p>

"What if they find something really wrong?"

"They won't. He'll be fine", Blaine tried to reassure his blonde friend, but to no avail.

"But, but-"

"Jeff!" Wes cried, "We know you're worried. Hell, we are too! But you need to stay calm, for Nick".

Jeff stopped, letting his arms, which were previously waving around, fall to his side.

"You're right", he said, sinking into one of the chairs.

Another twenty minutes passed before a young nurse came into the waiting room.

"Nick Duval?"

All six boys jumped up at once, bombarding the nurse with questions.

"Is he okay?"

"Will he be okay?"

"Nothing awfully terrible wrong with him?"

The nurse looked bewildered for a second before speaking, "He'll be absolutely fine. He was complaining of stomach pains and there was some internal bleeding but we fixed that. He has a cracked rib but that should heal in a few weeks. His wrist is broken so we put a cast on it. He is currently suffering from dehydration and the fact that he hasn't eaten properly was quite unnerving but as long as he gets some sleep, keeps himself well hydrated and makes sure he gets something to eat, he'll be fine", she babbled on as she led the boys into a room down the hall.

Jeff couldn't help but feel sick as memories from his past bubbled to the surface. The last time he had seen Nick in a hospital was when _they_ had beaten him up. Seeing Nick so small and weak made his want to cry. Why would someone touch someone as kind-hearted as him?

He stayed rooted to the spot as his friends raced to the brunette's bedside. He was awake and happy. Not entirely healthy but he was on his way to being better.

He looked at Nick. Admiring how his hair fell in his eyes and how big his smile was, even after one of the most traumatic times of his life. He was beautiful. He loved him.

"Jeff?"

He snapped out of his trance and noticed that he was being stared at by his friends.

Blaine raised an eyebrow, "We'll leave you alone".

The boys left the room, closely followed by the nurse. The door closed.

"Hey", Nick said, patting the space next to him.

Jeff smiled, walking over and sitting next to the brunette.

"Hey", he replied.

Nick looked at Jeff before speaking, "Are we together?"

Jeff paused, "Only if you want us to be. You've had a pretty bad time. I don't want to force you into anything".

"I want to be with you. I want to be with you so much, but if you don't want to, that's fine. We can go back to being friends", Nick replied, looking down sadly.

Jeff grinned, shaking his head. He lifted Nick's chin with his fingers and looked into his eyes.

"Like I said before. I want you, and only you. I want you to be mine, and I want to be yours too. I want to walk down the hall holding your hands so everyone knows that we're together. I don't want to lose you again. I just want you to know that I really love you, and yes, I want us to be together. More than you know", he said, leaning forward slightly.

"I want us to be together too, so much", Nick whispered.

"Then kiss me", Jeff said.

Nick closed the gap between them. He threaded his hands through Jeff's hair, smiling into the kiss when he felt Jeff wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer. Their tongues mapped each other out, fighting for dominance. He felt Jeff nip at his bottom lip as they pulled away, both boys slightly flushed.

"That was..."

"Yeah", Nick sighed happily. He lay back down on the bed, pulling Jeff with him.

"Boyfriends?" He heard the blonde whisper.

"Boyfriends".

* * *

><p>And... done! Finished. Phew, that took forever! There will be one more chapter. I have no idea how long it will be. Probably not a long as this one, but who knows?<br>I have a question, do I use too many separation lines? I'm very paranoid about this... Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

This is it... The last chapter...  
>I just want to thank everyone who's actually read and reviewed. It means a lot, and if you've stuck around from the beginning, good for you! Have a cookie on me :)<br>I just thought this would be a nice finishing chapter, a look into how Nick's doing. Good idea, no? Well anyway, here you go.  
>I don't, nor will I ever own Glee :)<br>Enjoy!

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><p>The snow drifted from the almost-dark sky, landing softly on the already thick white blanket of snow that covered Dalton's courtyard. The snowball fights had long since finished, with most boys retiring into the warm Common Rooms. A lone bird sat on a bare tree branch, chirping loudly before flying off into the distance. The atmosphere was serene and quiet, with only two souls trudging through the snow together. The taller boy had bright blonde hair, the sun reflecting from it, while the shorter boy had dark brown. They appeared to be holding hands, huddling together as if to keep warm on the cold December evening. They stood in front of a bench, debating whether they should wipe off the snow and sit down or just stand for the time being. They appeared to go for the latter, as the taller boy pulled the brunette closer into his chest.<p>

"So are you going to tell me why you dragged me out into the snow? I thought you didn't like it", Nick asked, his voice slightly muffled by Jeff's thick winter coat.

"Patience, Nicky. It's a surprise", Jeff laughed, moving Nick slightly further away so he could look at him, "Okay. So you know how it's nearly Christmas?"

Nick looked confused, "Of course. How could I forget Christmas?"

Jeff smiled softly, "I know you couldn't, and I'd normally wait until Christmas to give you your present but seeing as I got you two, I thought you could have one today".

Nick's eyes lit up and he bounced giddily on the balls of his feet, "Really?"

"Yes, really", Jeff replied, laughing slightly at his boyfriend's giddiness. He took out a long black box from his pocket, "I wanted to give you this now because we might not see each other on Christmas Day and I need to know if you like it".

"I'm sure I will!" Nick replied, making a grab for the gift.

Jeff pulled it from his reach, "No, you have to listen to the speech first. Sorry", he added when he saw Nick's mock pout, "Okay. Nick. You've been through a lot this past month, and I'm not gonna lie. You being gone almost killed me. Not only are you my boyfriend, you're my best friend, and I love you. You are so strong and I'm amazed at how far you've come already. I know you're still scared. You jump at loud noises and you get really, really shy around people you don't know, but that's okay. It doesn't make you any less amazing, and I know one day you'll get over it, but until then I promise I'll always be there for you. Whenever you need me, don't ever hesitate to call. Although knowing us, I'll probably be with you already. You're the only person who's been there from the start, and you mean everything to me. I want you to have this, because it not only represents how much I love you, but it also represent our friendship", he handed the gift to Nick, "Open it".

Nick took the box with grateful hands. He opened it with glove-clad hands, revealing a dog tag on a thin chain. On one side of the silver tag said the words 'Agent 3', while the other had the words 'Forever and Always'. He gasped, turning it over again and again. Looking up, he saw Jeff looking nervously into his eyes.

"You don't like it?"

"No, Jeff! I love it!" He cried, throwing himself into the taller boy s arms, "Thank you, thank you, thank you. So much! Oh my gosh how much did this even cost?"

"Ah well, that's for me to know and for you to find out. Maybe. Well, let me put it on you?" Jeff replied.

Nick nodded, turning around. Jeff removed his gloves and took the chain from Nick. He quickly fastened it before putting his gloves back on.

"Oh my god it's cold", he murmured.

Nick turned back around, once again curling into his boyfriend's side, "How did I end up with the best boyfriend ever?"

"I know, I am pretty awesome", Jeff replied, squeaking -although he would never admit it- when he felt Nick poke him in his rib, "I mean, you're the one that's amazing. Don't even try to deny it".

"I know, I am pretty awesome", Nick mimicked, laughing when Jeff swung him round to stand in front of him once more.

"I love you", Jeff whispered, resting his forehead against the shorter boy's.

"I love you too, but I really think we should get back inside. I can't feel my toes", Nick replied, pulling his boyfriend in the direction of the double door that led into the dorms and the common room. He wrapped both arms around Jeff's waist as they walked.

"Hey Nicky. My lips are cold", Jeff said.

Nick smirked, "I can think of a few ways to warm them up".

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><p>Cue niff snuggles and kisses by a warm fireplace :)<br>Thank you for sticking with me until the end, even though I'm an awful updater.  
>Also, leave suggestions for a new story in a review :)<br>Bye!


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